"Espiritu Santo es parte de ti"

"Espiritu Santo is Part of You"

In 2016 SeaWatch initiated and continues to fund the very successful campaign Espiritu Santo es parte de ti (Espiritu Santo is Part of You) in La Paz. Espíritu Santo es parte de ti is a local, grassroots campaign to restore the depleted reefs and reef fish in Espiritu Santo National Park by creating community pride and advocacy, promoting good practices and eliminating illegal fishing in the park.

For the last 30 years the Sea of Cortez has seen its reefs and reef fisheries decline at an alarming rate. There is only one place in the entire Sea of Cortez that has stopped and reversed the declines. Twenty years ago the citizens of Cabo Pulmo National Park took matters into their own hands, and with community-wide commitment, stopped the illegal fishing that was killing the reef and reef fish populations by providing 24-hour vigilance to stop the destruction. They reversed the decline and the recovery in fish populations was spectacular. Nowhere else has this happened in the Sea of Cortez.

Video of Cabo Pulmo Today – A Recovered Marine Ecosystem Due to Citizen Vigilance

That was until now! The goal of Espiritu Santo es parte de ti is to replicate the success of Cabo Pulmo with it's citizen-based campaign in La Paz, located 14 miles from Espiritu Santo National Park.

Video of Espiritu Santo – Its Reefs Barren of Fish

Parrotfish Recovery at Espiritu Santo

Our campaign goal is for:

Citizens of La Paz to take pride in Espiritu Santo National Park and help protect it by supporting citizen driven vigilance.
Fishermen, tour operators and visitors to be aware of the rules and regulations of the park and report illegal fishing.
Restaurants, markets and citizens of La Paz to promote responsible consumption of fish, avoiding species important to the ecosystem health of Espiritu Santo National Park such as reef critical parrotfish and surgeon fish.

Meet the Espiritu Santo es parte de ti Team

Learn How the Team is Building Public Pride

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What's New at SeaWatch:

SeaWatch Dream Come True

Since September of 2021, when our attorneys first petitioned the government to create large no take zones around Espiritu Santo National Park to facilitate reef and reef fish recovery, we have been building a dream team. A year later we have that team and a plan in place that is doing exactly that. To see the problem and solution. Click to view this short video...

SeaWatch Annual Raffle

Scott Hanson donated his popular 19" bronze limited edition sculpture "Smooth Sailing" that retails between $7,700 and $9,250 depending on the gallery. Buy one or more tickets here. But hurry as only 150 raffle tickets will be sold!.

Creating the Next Cabo Pulmo
Fisheries Recovery in the Sea of Cortez

Where there are fish of any commercial value, fishing interests will find a way to take them.
In 2019 and 2020 with the legalization of fish traps in the Espiritu Santo National Park (banned in most other places 30 years ago) it became clear that where there are fish, fishing interests will find a way to take them. Read More...

Fish Traps Devastate Marine Environments

Watch this video to see the evidence of the devastation caused by fish traps on reefs and reef fish over time. These traps are legal in Mexico and tragically in Espiritu Santo National Park. To learn more about fish traps and see the devastation they cause Click Here...

Sea Lions and Fish Nets

This video shows the entanglement of sea lions in fish nets and fishing gear in the Sea of Cortez. "Is this what we want in the Espiritu Santo National Park?"

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